Consin



(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 1.

B. V. NORDBERG & G. E. SHADALL, APPARATUS FOR PRODUGING MOTIVE POWER.

No. 543,501. I Patented July 30, 1895.

Compressed air (No ModeL) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

B. V. NORDBERG 860. E. SHADALL. APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING MOTIVE POWER.

No. 543,501. v Patented July 30, 1895.

,4 A- Q I m I x a? 72 i 'fkf 3 Sheets-SheetB.

B. V. NORDBERG & G. E. SHADALL. APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING MOTIVE POWER.

No. 543,501. Pat nted uly so, 1895.

(No ModeL) filianfoms ZZZ/M.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BRUNO V. NORDBERG AND CHARLES E. SHADALL, OF MILVAUKEE, WVIS- CONSIN,ASSIGNORS TO THE BRUNO NORDBERG COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING MIO'II'IVE POWER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 543,501, dated July 30,1895. Application filed August 11, 1890- Serial No. 361,680. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that we, BRUNO V. NORDBERG and CHARLES E. SHADALL, ofMilwaukee, in

the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Producing Motive Power; andwe do hereby declare that the followingis afull, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable others skilled in theart to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

The main objects of our invention are to produce a driving medium forengines by the continuous ignition of oil or the vapor of oil underpressure; to apply the medium thus produced in the manner of steam toengines of the usual or any suitable type, whereby the speed of theengine may be increased, diminished, and controlled and its movementreversed, as in the case of ordinary steamengines, and to utilize inconnection with the gaseous driving medium the force of the heatabsorbed in keeping down the temperature of the chamber or retort inwhich the gas is produced.

It consists of certain novel features in the construction andarrangement of the component parts of the apparatus, as hereinafterparticularly described, and pointed out in the claims. 7 l

In the accompanying drawings like letters designate the same parts inthe several figures.

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of an apparatus embodying ourinvention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of aportion of the gas-generating chamber, the atomizer, and automatic feedregulator through which the oil is introduced to said chamber and of theigniting device. Fig. 3 is a similar view of a reducing-valve by which adifferential pressure is maintained in the gas-generating chamber andthe oil-tank. Fig. 4 is a detail View of a modification of the ignitingdevice. Fig. 5 is a general sectional view of a modification of theapparatus. Fig. 6 is a detail View of a modified form ofregulating-valve for controlling the supply of oil to the gas-generatingchamber; and Fig. 7 is a cross-section taken on the line 00 as, Fig. 5.

Referring to Fig. 1, A represents a closed water-tank; B,an'oil-reservoir connected near the bottom with the lower part of thewatertank by a pipe a, which is provided with a valve a.

0 represents a combustion-chamber of any suitable form and materialcapable of withstanding the necessary pressure. in an upright orvertical position and surrounded bya casing or jacket D, which isconnected at its lower end with the lower part of the water-tank A by apipe d, which is provided with a cock at. A check-valve d is placed inthe passage, through which water enters said jacket to prevent aback-flow into tank A.

At the lower end the chamber 0 is attached to, or extended to form, amixing-chamber C,

It is placed which communicates with chamber 0 at its lower end,preferably through a contracted aperture, in which is placed a screen 0.In an aperture in the lower end of chamber 0 is inserted an atomizer E,as shown in Fig. 2, consisting of an outer shell or casing e, a nozzle6', having a contracted aperture at the upper end, and a conical cap escrewed into said shell or casing over the end of the nozzle 6' andhaving a contracted aperture in line with the aperture in said nozzle. Apipe 1) connects the atomizer E below the nozzle 6 with the upper partof the oil-reservoir B. This pipe is provided with an ordinaryglobevalve 6 and a check-valve b and 'the opening from the oil-reservoirinto said pipeis controlled by a float-valve 19 which is made of suchbuoyancy that it will float upon water,

but not upon oil. The casing e of the atomizer is extended below thenozzle 6, and a valve 2 is inserted therein, as shown in Fig. 2, tocontrol the communication between said nozzle and the oil-pipe Z).

The lower end of the shell e is flanged, and to it is attached a flangedsleeve F, with a flexible diaphragm f interposed between them andbearing at the upper side against a' projection on valve 0 In the sleeveF is inserted a piston f, which bears against the under side of thediaphragm f, and is held against said diaphragm with a regulatedpressure by a spring f which bears at its opposite end against anadjustable cap f screwed upon the sleeve F. A spring inserted in arecess around valve 0 in the shelle and hearing at one end against aflange on the lower end of said valve and at the opposite end against ashoulder in said shell holds the valve down against the diaphragm f. Apassage e in the shell e establishes a communication between theoil-pipe h and the space above the diaphragm f.

The water-tank A is furnished at the top with a removable cap (1. orother suitable means for supplying the same with water, and theoil-reservoir B is provided at the bottom with a waste-cock b for thepurpose of drawing off the water in said reservoir when it is desired torefill the same with oil. For the purpose of filling said reservoir Bwith oil the pipe a may be extended above its connection with thewater-tank A and provided with a valve a which is ordinarily closed,while communication is established between the tank A and reservoir B byopening the valve a.

G represents an engine in connection with which an air-pump G isprovided. A forcepipe 9 leads from the air-pump to the upper portion ofthe water-tank A and by a branch g into the space between the shell 9and the nozzle e of the atomizer and through a branch g into the lowerpart of chamber 0. The branch g is provided with a check-valve g bywhich aback flow or pressure is prevented, and with an ordinary globecut-01f valve g". The branch 9 is provided with a reducingvalve H,(shown in detail in Fig. 3,) and consists of a suitable valve-caseprovided with a seat similar to an ordinary globe-valve, a wing-valve h,adapted to said seat, a screwcap it, inserted in an aperture in thevalvecase over the valve-seat therein and serving as a guide for thevalve h, a spring hearing at one end against said valve and at the otherend against an adj usting-screw 71 projecting through a threadedaperture in said cap, and a cap 72. and jam-nut h, placed upon saidscrew and affording means for turning the same in or out of the cap it,for the purpose of adjusting the tension of the spring. By means of thisvalve h a higher pressure is produced in the watentank A than in thecombustion-chamber, and by means of the diiference of pressure the wateris forced into the reservoir B and the oil driven therefrom through thepipe I) into the chamber 0.

On one side of the chamber 0, at its lower end,a chamber 1 is formed,into which is inserted the stem or burner of a lamp J. This lamp may besupplied with oil through a pipe 7', connecting it with the oil-pipe b,the supply being controlled by a valvej. Chamber I communicates withchamber 0 through a small aperture t', and a little below and on theopposite side it is connected by a pipe 2" with the air-force pipe 9,the aperture t' and the pipe 7; being arranged to produce a draftthrough chamber I, which will carry the flame of lamp J through theaperture 1, into the chamber 0, so as to keep the oilvapor thereinconstantly ignited.

The combustion-chamber (l communicates at its upper end through anaperture 0 with the space inclosed by the jacket D, and a pipe K leadsout of the upper end of said jacket adjacent to the aperture 0 to theengine G. 7t represents an ordinary safetyvalve attached to the top ofthe jacket D.

Our improved apparatus operates as follows: Reservoir 13 having beenfilled with oil and the tank A supplied with water, an airpressuresufficient to start the apparatus is produced in tankA byahand-pump orother convenient means. later is forced through the pipe a into thelower part of reservoir B, thereby forcing a small stream or jet of oilinto the atomizer through the nozzle e. Air being forced at the sametime through the pipe g passes through the annular space be tween theshell 6 and nozzle 6' and mingles with the oil in cap a, from which itissues in a fine spray into the mixing-chamber 0. As it passes upwardinto the chamberC it comes in contact with the flame of lamp J, carriedby the air blast from pipe z" through the aperture i, and is ignitedthereby and converted into a gas of much greater volume than the mingledair and oil-vapor. \Vhatever air is not required to supply the atomizerand the water-tank A passes through the reducingvalve H in pipe 9 intothe lower part of chamber 0, mingling with the vapor entering saidchamber from chamber O and supplying any deficiency of oxygen for itscomplete combustion,and whatever is not so consumed being heated andexpanded by the hot gases and mingling therewith to produce the drivingmedium. In this manner the required pressure for driving an engine iscreated and maintained in the chamber 0. The reducingvalve H maintainsthe required difference in pressure in the tankA and comb ustion-chamberO to cause the oil to be forced from the oil-reservoir B into thecombustion-chamber as it is needed. The pressure in chamber (J isregulated by adjusting the tension of the spring f controlling the valvee, by which the flow of oil from pipe 1) into the nozzle of the atomizeris regulated. NVhen the pressure in tank A, and consequently in theother portions of the apparatus connected therewith, rises above acertain point, it is communicated through the oil in passage a to theupper side of diaphragm f, and compressing the spring f permits thevalve 6 to descend, thereby diminishing the flow of oil for the timebeing into the atomizer, and thence into the combustion-chamber. Thesupply of material from which the driving medium is produced being thusdiminished the pressure in the combustion-chamber falls, and a decreasein pressure results throughout the apparatus, and consequently upon thediaphragm f,

IIC

which, being thus relieved of pressure, per- 1 device and connect thesame by the suction mits the spring f to raise the valve 6 therebyre-establishing full communication between the pipe b and the nozzle ofthe atomizer.

By the constant combustion of the vapor and the consequent generation ofgas under pressure in chamber 0 its walls become intensely heated, andto keep down their temperature a sufficient supply of water isintroduced through pipe 01 to fill or partially fill the jacket D. Thewater thus employed to keep down the temperature of thecombustionchamber is converted into steam which mingles with the hotgases issuing from the opening in the upper end of chamber 0 and issuperheated by such gases, being utilized with them as a part of theactuating medium for driving the engine. The combined gases, air, andsteam thus produced are conducted through the pipe K to the engine G, tothe driving of which they are applied in the same manner as steam.

Various modifications may be made in the construction and arrangement ofour apparatus and of its several details without atfecting its mode ofoperation or departing from the spirt of our invention.

Referring to Fig. 4, illustrating a modification of the igniting device,an air-jet pipe t provided with a valve 1' is arranged to carry theflame of the lamp J against a thin platinum disk 71 and heat the same toincandescence. the wall of the combustion-chamber C, betweenscrew-threaded rings i and 2', screwed one into the other and the outerinto the ap- Referring to Fig. 5, showing a modification of theapparatus in which the combustion chamber is placed horizontally and theoil is fed thereto by a pump which forces water into theoil-reservoir,Arepresents the water-tank B, the oil-reservoir; C thecombustion-chamber, and C a chamber communicating therewith, into whichthe mingled oil, vapor, and air are fed. A pipe K connects the oppositeend of the combustion-chamber with the en-- glue and a pipe it? connectsthe pipe K or combustion-chamber with the upper part of the water-tankA, so as to maintain an equal.

pressure in the combustion-chamber and water-tank. Instead of employingadifferential pressure in the water-tank and combustionchamber to forcethe oil into the latter, we provide a pump L or other suitable forcingThis diskis held in an aperture in pipe Z with the lower portion of thewater-tank A and by the force-pipe Z with the lower part of theoil-reservoir B. In the suction-pipe Z is placed an automatic regulatingvalve N. (Shown in detail in Fig. 6 and similar to that shown in Fig.2.) This valve consists ofa plunger n, bearing at one end upon adiaphragm n, which is exposed on the same side to the pressure producedin the suction pipe Z, and of a spring 11 bearing against the oppositeside of said diaphragm, and an adjusting nut or cap of, by which thetension of the spring is regulated and the rate of flow through the pipeZ is controlled. The pipe 19 connects the upper part of theoil-reservoir B with an atomizer E inserted in the end of the chamber 0opposite the combustion-chamber O and a pipe 9 connects said atomizerwith the air-pump G. A branch pipe 9 of the pipe 9 provided with aregulating-valve g", as shown in Fig. 7, supplies the air jet or blast,by which the flame of a lamp .I is carried against the disk 7? of theigniting device located in the side of chamber 0 D represents a jacketsurrounding the. combustion-chamber 0 It is connected at one end by apipe d having a regulatingvalve (1 with the suction-pipe Z or watertankA. provided on the upper side with a stand-pipe (P, by means of whichthe jacket is kept constantly filled with water. A pipe d connects thetop of the stand-pipe with the pipe K.

To provide for the unequal expansion and contraction of thecombustion-chamber C and its jacket D, we form the head of the jacketthrough which the pipe K passes of a 'fiexible diaphragm d which permitsof such expansion or contraction without injury to the said chamber orjacket, and without atfecting the joints of the eduction-pipe Ktherewith. The combustion-chambers may if desired be filled or partiallyfilled with any suitable refractory materiahwhich would be heated toincandescence and insure the perfect and continuous combustion of theoil-vapor and at the same time prevent any coarse impurities frompassing into the eductionpipe. The operation of this form of theapparatus is similar to that previously described, and will be readilyunderstood from the foregoing description of its construction andarrangement.

In places furnished with a water-supply system the water-tank of theapparatus may be dispensed with and the oil-reservoir directly connectedwith such system, a pump being employed -to produce the necessarypressure forfeeding the oilinto the apparatus when the pressure of thewater-mains is insufficient for the purpose.

By employing steam with the hot gases of At the opposite end this jacketis ICO IIO

the driving medium, as hereinbetore ex-.

plained, the piston and cylinder of the engine are lubricated andpreserved, and the difti-' cult action and rapid wear and deteriorationof the parts mentioned, which would otherwise result from the use of thedry hot gases alone, are thus avoided.

o claim 1. In apparatus for producing an actuating medium for engines,the combination of a closed water tank, a closed oil reservoir having aconnection between the lower part thereof and the lower part of saidtank, a closed combustion chamber connected with the upper part of theoil reservoir, and a pump connected with said water tank, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

2. In apparatus for producing an actuating medium for engines, thecombination of a closed water tank, a closed oil reservoir connectedtherewith, a combustion chamber connected with the oil reservoir, and aforce pum p connected with the water tank and arranged to produce andmaintain a constant pressure thereon, whereby Water is forced therefrominto the lower part of the oil reservoir, and oil is fed from the upperpart of said reservoir into the combustion chamber, substan tially asand for the purposes set forth.

3. In apparatus for producing an actuating medium for engines, thecombination of an oil reservoir, a combustion chamber connected withsaid reservoir, and an igniting device consisting of a chamberprovidedwith a lamp or burner and communicating through an opening with saidcombustion chamber in proximity with its oil connection, and an airblast device connected with said lamp or burner chamber, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

4. In apparatus for producing a driving medium for engines, thecombination of a water tank, an oil reservoir connected therewith, acombustion chamber connected with said oil reservoir, a pump connectedwith said water tank and with the combustion chamber, and a reducingvalve in the connection with the combustion chamber, whereby a greaterpressure is maintained in the water tank than in the combustion chamber,and oil is fed to the latter by such differential pressure,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In apparatus for producing an actuating medium for engines, thecombination of a combustion chamber, an oil reservoir connectedtherewith, a pump arranged to force oil from said reservoir into thecombustion chamber and having a connection with said combustion chamber,and a reducing valve in the latter connection, whereby a differentialpressure is maintained in the oil reservoir and combustion chamber,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. In apparatus forproducing an actuating medium for engines, thecombination of a water tank, an oil reservoir having a connectiontherewith, a combustion chamber having a connection with the upper partof said oil reservoir, a float buoyant in water but not in oil,controlling communication from the oil reservoir to the combustionchamber, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In apparatus for producing an actuating medium for engines, thecombination of a closed water tank, an oil reservoir connectedtherewith, a combustion chamber connected with said oil reservoir, anatomizer through which oil is injected into said chamber, an air pumphaving separate connections with said water tank, atomizer andcombustion chamher, a reducing valve placed in the connection with thecombustion chamber, and an automatic regulating valve controlling thesupply of oil to the combustion chamber, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we affix oursignatures in presence of two witnesses.

BRUNO V. NORDBERG. CHAS. E. SHADALL.

Witnesses:

CHAs. L. Goss, E. O. AsMUs.

